Charge forming device with electrically actuated vapor separator vent valve

Abstract

In at least some implementations, a charge forming device for a combustion engine includes a housing, a throttle valve and a vent valve. The housing has an inlet chamber in which a supply of fuel is received, a vent passage communicating with the inlet chamber and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received. The throttle valve is carried by the housing and has a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore to control fluid flow through the throttle bore. And the vent valve is electrically actuated, carried by the housing and has a valve element that is movable between an open position wherein fluid may flow from the inlet chamber through the vent passage and a closed position where fluid is prevented or inhibited from flowing out of the inlet chamber through the vent passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A charge forming device for a combustion engine, comprising:
 a housing having an inlet chamber in which a supply of fuel is received, a vent passage communicating with the inlet chamber and a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received; 
 a throttle valve carried by the housing with a valve head movable relative to the throttle bore to control fluid flow through the throttle bore; and 
 a vent valve carried by the housing and having a valve element that is movable between an open position wherein fluid may flow from the inlet chamber through the vent passage and a closed position where fluid is prevented or inhibited from flowing out of the inlet chamber through the vent passage, the vent valve being electrically actuated. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1  wherein the housing includes a body and a cover coupled to the body, wherein the vent passage is formed at least partially in the cover and the vent valve is carried by the cover. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1  wherein the vent valve is actuated as a function of a pressure within the inlet chamber. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 3  wherein the vent valve is actuated to maintain a pressure within the inlet chamber of between 0.34 mmHg to 19 mmHg. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1  which also includes an electrically actuated fuel metering valve carried by the housing and having an inlet communicated with the inlet chamber to receive fuel from the inlet chamber and an outlet communicated with the throttle bore and through which fuel is supplied into the throttle bore. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 5  wherein actuation of both the fuel metering valve and the vent valve is controlled by a single controller. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 6  wherein the throttle valve is electrically actuated and wherein actuation of each of the fuel metering valve, the throttle valve and the vent valve is controlled by a single controller. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 6  wherein the controller is carried by the housing. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 5  wherein the throttle valve is electrically actuated and wherein actuation of both the fuel metering valve and the throttle valve is controlled by a single controller. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 1  which also includes an inlet valve carried by the housing and having a valve that controls the flow of fuel into the inlet chamber. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10  wherein the inlet valve is coupled to a float received within the inlet chamber to actuate the inlet valve as a function of the level of fuel within the inlet chamber. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 1  which also includes a second vent passage providing gaseous matter from a second source to the inlet chamber, wherein flow of gaseous matter from the inlet chamber and from the second source is controlled by the vent valve. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 12  wherein the second source is a fuel tank. 
     
     
       14. A fuel system, comprising:
 a fuel tank having a fuel outlet and a vent outlet, 
 a throttle body assembly including an inlet chamber in communication with the fuel outlet to receive fuel from the tank and with the vent outlet to receive gaseous matter from the tank into the inlet chamber, wherein the throttle body assembly also includes a vent passage from which gasses may be vented from the inlet chamber 
 a vent valve carried by the throttle body assembly to control venting of the inlet chamber and of the fuel tank. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14  which also includes a float received within the inlet chamber, and an inlet valve coupled to the float, wherein the inlet valve is actuated by the float as a function of the level of fuel within the inlet chamber. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14  wherein the throttle body includes a throttle bore with an inlet through which air is received, and which also includes an electrically actuated fuel metering valve carried by the housing and having an inlet communicated with the inlet chamber to receive fuel from the inlet chamber and an outlet communicated with the throttle bore and through which fuel is supplied into the throttle bore. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16  wherein actuation of both the fuel metering valve and the vent valve is controlled by a single controller. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 14  which also includes a second vent passage providing gaseous matter from a second source to the inlet chamber, wherein flow of gaseous matter from the inlet chamber and from the second source is controlled by the vent valve. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 14  wherein the vent valve is actuated as a function of a pressure within the inlet chamber. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein the vent valve is actuated to maintain a pressure within the inlet chamber of between 0.34 mmHg to 19 mmHg.